Improvement in dredging-tongs



2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

C. A.`SGANLAN. Dredging Tongs. No. 201,559??1 Wlvaesses.

2 Sheets-SheQt 2. C. A. SGANLAN.

Dredging Tongs.'

' No. 201,559. Patented March 19, 187s.

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N,FETERS, PHOTOMTHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON` D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES A. SCANLAN, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTHHIS RIGHT TO'ELISHA LINDSAY HALSEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN DREDGlNe-TONGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,559, dated March19, 1878 g application filed Y October 10, 1877.

are drawn together by a cord, to retain the,

rock within the graspy of the blades.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the tongs,omitting a portion of the length of the handles. Fig. 2 is a back viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a side view on a larger scale, illustratingcertain modifications.

A A are a pair of handles of ordinary construction, pivoted together ata and secured in sockets B B of the blades, which blades are each formedwith any desirable number of teeth, C C C, firmly tied together bythroughbolts D, which clamp the teeth against the interposed sleeves E.The bolts D also secure the lower ends of brace-rods F, the upper endsof which are bolted at f to the upper part ofthe blade-socket, the boltf, which thus secures them, being passed through the handle, so as toretain it. G G are eyes, which may project laterally from the necks ofthe blades, or may project toward each other, as preferred. They areemployed for the reception of a rope or chain, H, which serves to holdthe blades together in drawing up a piece of rock.

The implement is found highly useful in gathering phosphate-rock frombeneath the water, and may be advantageously employed in all similaroperations. The tongs may be made of iron or steel.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the sockets B B extend above thepivot a. The eyes G G may be located, as shown in Figs. l and 2, attheupper ends of the brace-rods F, or they may be located on the side ofeach blade, as shown in Fig. 3, or they may be placed at anyintermediate point, as may be preferred, or as the form and constructionof the tongs may require. The brace-rods F may be bowed, as illustratedin Fig. 1, so as to admit rocks of any length between the blades, orthey may extend straight across the bow of the blades, as illustrated inFig. 3,

so as to retain small pieces of rock between the jaws.

By extending the rods in a straight line from the pivot a to near theextremities of the blades, as shown in Fig. 3, the said-rods are adaptedto brace and support the blades, while they may be of smaller size.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent:

The dredging-tongs constructed with handles A A, teeth C C, bolts D D,sleeves E E, braces F F, eyes Gr Gr, and rope or chain H, as and for thepurposes set forth.

C. A. SCANLAN.

